I must admit, before I tried a dickey, I didn’t know a whole lot about them (other than that it has an awkward name). So what is it exactly? A dickey is a sleeveless, bib-like piece that was originally designed to be worn with a men’s tuxedo. Initially, I thought of them as awkward bibs or, at best, needless accessories. But I pushed this negativity to the back of my mind so I could give them a fair shot. I wanted to treat them like a legit fashion item and actually put a little thought into the styling. 

I like to layer, but the bunching up of the bottom layer coupled with my tendency to overheat means that I often suffer for fashion—thus my decision to try a dickey. I put together the perfect ensemble: a crewneck sweater, with a bow-blouse-style dickey from Le Cou underneath, and a pair of wool wide-leg trousers. I enjoyed the look and was excited to see how my dickey would wear through the day. I was expecting something magical to happen, for the fashion gods to reach down and applaud my efforts, but honestly, it just felt like a cute top that complemented my outfit. 

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However, without that whole bottom layer, I didn’t experience any shifting, and it did solve my overheating issue. So am I officially a fan girl? I must say, yes! It makes layering so much simpler, and I love that Le Cou offers a variety of fashionable colors and prints. And it’s nice to find an unconventional piece that makes achieving traditional looks that much easier.

Le Cou Olympia dickey, $68 (originally $82); lecoulecou.com